By Jessica Geen -
Gay-friendly comedy Glee has been criticised for using a track by convicted paedophile Gary Glitter.
In the episode, actress Gwyneth Paltrow sings a version of Do You Wanna Touch Me? (Oh Yeah) to a group of students during a sex education class.
Glitter co-wrote the 1973 hit and will receive royalties for the use of the song.
Children’s charities reacted angrily to the news. Kidscape said the inclusion of the song was “wholly inappropriate”.
The episode, titled Sexy, will be aired in the US next Tuesday. However, television bosses are considering cutting the scene when the show is screened in the UK, WENN reports.
Glitter, real name Paul Francis Gadd, served 27 months in a Vietman prison for molesting underage girls.
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Friday, March 11, 2011
Polis reintroduces Student Non-Discrimination Act
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| U.S. Rep. Jared Polis (center) |
U.S. Rep. Jared Polis (center) (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)One of the openly gay members of Congress on Thursday reintroduced legislation aimed to protect LGBT students against bullying and discrimination in school.
In the U.S. House, Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo) introduced the Student Non-Discrimination Act — as Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) introduced companion legislation in the Senate — at a time when bullying of LGBT students is receiving considerable attention.
In a statement, Polis said “education is the right of every student” regardless of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.
“It becomes more apparent with each case that this is a problem that is not going away — sometimes even teachers and administrators contribute to the problem,” Polis said. “The alarming increase in teen suicides has shown us just how far we are from making our children’s schools safe spaces. We must take action to protect the safety of our students and enshrine the values of equality and opportunity in our classrooms.”
Modeled after Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Student Non-Discrimination Act would establish a comprehensive federal prohibition against discrimination in public schools against LGBT students. Additionally, the measure would also forbid schools from discriminating against based on the sexual orientation and gender identity and prohibit them from ignoring harassing behavior.
If enacted into law, violating the Student Non-Discrimination Act would lead to the loss of federal funding and give victims a legal cause of action for discrimination in public schools.
During a news conference on Thursday, Polis said the legislation would, among other things, prohibit schools from forbidding gay-straight alliances to form on campuses.
“Just last week, in Corpus Christi, Texas, Dr. Julie Cabarjal, superintendent of the Flour Bluff school district said there’s quote-on-quote no chance that the district will approve a student-organized gay-straight alliance,” Polis said. “How can a gay-straight alliance, an organization whose goal is to make students feel welcome and accepted, be seen as a threat to be dismissed out of hand by a school leader?”
The lawmakers introduced the legislation on the same day President Obama held a White House conference to speak out and devise strategies against bullying in schools. Earlier in the week, Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) introduced the Safe Schools Improvement Act in the U.S. Senate, which would require schools to establish anti-bullying policies.
Bullying against LGBT students received renewed attention late last year when several young men who were gay or perceived to be gay took their own lives after they were reportedly bullied. Among them was Tyler Clementi, a Rutgers University student, who leaped off the George Washington Bridge in September after a video was posted online of him reportedly having a sexual encounter with another man in his dorm room.
In a statement, Franken decried the bullying of gay students and said he’s committed to passing legislation that would remedy the situation.
“Unchecked bullying of LGBT students is unacceptable,” Franken said. “The high suicide rate for LGBT youth — as witnessed across the country over the past year — shows that we are falling drastically short in our efforts to protect our kids,” Franken said.
First introduced in the 111th Congress, the Student Non-Discrimination Act currently has 99 co-sponsors in the House and 27 co-sponsors in the Senate.
In a statement, Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, praised Polis and Franken for reintroducing the legislation in Congress.
“Every child deserves an equal education free from discrimination, harassment and bullying,” Solmonese said. “Unfortunately, LGBT students have historically been alienated, harassed, and bullied in their schools, with little or no intervention from school personnel. Far too many of these students have underperformed or dropped out in response to the lack of safety and support.”
Download a copy of the Senate version of the bill.
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New York actor and model uses gay inequality to dodge jury duty
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| Jonathan D Lovitz said he could not be impartial |
A New York gay actor and model dodged jury duty this month by saying he could not be impartial because he is treated as a second-class citizen.
Jonathan D Lovitz, was waiting to be called in with other jurors when they were asked whether they could be impartial.
He wrote on his Facebook page: “I raised my hand and said, ‘Since I can’t get married or adopt a child in the state of New York, I can’t possibly be an impartial judge of a citizen when I am considered a second class one in the eyes of this justice system.”
He was then excused by the judge.
Speaking to News Nation, he said: “It was such a spur of the moment thing. I was shaking, trembling. It just came out of me so spontaneously.
“I never intended to be an activist. . . I’m just a young gay man who saw some inequality in the state, in the country.”
Mr Lovitz added: “We have certain civic responsibilities, like paying our taxes and serving on juries. and I think everyone is obligated to participate.
“But when it’s your turn to say how you really feel, you need to say how you really feel.”
Legal experts say it is up to a judge to dismiss a member of the jury if he or she is considered unable to be impartial.
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Charles Robbins: Federal Leaders Make Protecting LGBTQ Youth National Priority
 |
Charles Robbins, Executive Director of The Trevor Project |
Charles Robbins, the Executive Director of the life-saving Trevor Project,issued a press release today commending the White House for its initiative in holding the historic anti-bullying summit. Here’s the release:
Our nation’s leaders have taken meaningful steps to protect the lives and safety of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth at all levels with today’s robust anti-bullying summit at the White House, the bicameral introductions of the Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act and the Student Non-Discrimination Act, and Senate introduction of the Safe Schools Improvement Act earlier this week. The Trevor Project continues to work on both federal and local levels to ensure that LGBTQ young people in every corner of the country have the opportunity to safely express themselves freely and openly.
“This week, protecting LGBTQ youth from bullying and harassment to prevent higher risk behaviors, including attempting suicide, became a national priority. The Trevor Project thanks the leadership of President Obama, Secretaries Sebelius and Duncan, Senators Casey, Kirk, Franken and Lautenberg, and Representatives Rush Holt and Jared Polis for standing up for the rights of LGBTQ youth and working to change our culture to improve their lives,” said Charles Robbins, Executive Director of The Trevor Project.
Introduced today in both the Senate and the House of Representatives by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (NJ) and Rep. Rush Holt (NJ-12), the Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act would require colleges and universities that receive federal student aid to have a policy that prohibits harassment and cyberbullying, of students based on their actual or perceived race, color, national origin, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or religion. It would also offer protocols that include access to mental health services should harassment take place. Through the Act, the U.S. Department of Education would establish a new harassment prevention grant program for colleges and universities.
Re-introduced today in both the Senate and House was the Student Non-Discrimination Act, sponsored by Sen. Al Franken (MN) and Rep. Jared Polis (CO). Modeled on Title IX, the Student Non-Discrimination Act would establish a comprehensive federal prohibition against discrimination in public schools based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. It would give LGBTQ students similar civil rights protections against bullying and harassment as those that currently apply to students based on race and gender, and give schools incentive to avoid liability by protecting LGBTQ students from discrimination.
Earlier this week, the Safe Schools Improvement Act was re-introduced in the Senate by bi-partisan co-sponsors Robert Casey (PA) and Mark Kirk (IL). The Safe Schools Improvement Act would require primary and secondary schools and districts that receive designated federal funds to adopt codes of conduct specifically prohibiting bullying and harassment, including conduct based on a student’s real or perceived race, color, national origin, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or religion. When passed, the Act would enable schools and school districts to implement effective prevention programs to better prevent and respond to incidences of bullying and harassment. It would also require that states report data on incidences of bullying and harassment to the Department of Education.
About The Trevor Project
The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ youth. Every day, The Trevor Project saves young lives through its free and confidential lifeline, in-school workshops, educational materials, online resources and advocacy. For more information, visit www.TheTrevorProject.org.
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Thursday, March 10, 2011
Evan Wolfson Vs. Peter Sprigg On House Defending DOMA
Thomas Roberts discusses House Lawyers defending DOMA with Evan Wolfson (Freedom To Marry) & Peter Sprigg (Family Research Council).
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Mongolian LGBT activists honored in Manhattan
Mongolian LGBT Centre staffers at Manhattan’s Landmark on the Park on Monday, March 7. |
The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission honored Mongolian LGBT activists and journalist Jeff Sharlet at Landmark on the Park on Manhattan’s Upper West Side on Monday, March 7.
Anaraa Nyamdorj and Munkhzaya Nergui accepted IGLHRC’s Felipa de Souza Award on behalf of the Mongolian LGBT Centre. Founded in 2006 and only formally recognized by the Mongolian government in Dec. 2009, the LGBT Centre is currently working with employers around the country to create LGBT-friendly workplaces. The organization, which is located in the Ulaanbaatar, the country’s capital, is also working to raise awareness of anti-LGBT hate crimes.
With funding from the State Department, the LGBT Centre launched a nationwide multimedia campaign last November designed to highlight anti-LGBT discrimination and hate crimes, domestic violence and a lack of relationship recognition. The campaign has appeared on three of the country’s major television networks, as well as on radio stations. Posters and even podcasts feature LGBT Centre staff.
"It has generated a lot of feedback and excitement in the society," Nyamdorj told EDGE.
She remains optimistic about the progress she and other Mongolian LGBT activists have made over the last decade. The LGBT Centre plans to submit a proposal to the Parliamentary Standing Committee State Structure in the coming days that seeks to amend the Mongolian Constitution to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, health-HIV-status and disability.
"It’s tough to be an LGBT person in Mongolia," she said, noting LGBT Mongolians routinely lose their jobs and housing and face anti-LGBT violence. "We’re simply just treated like dirt. That is the reality we’re trying to fight."
Founded in 1991; IGLHRC currently has 20 staffers in New York, Argentina, Paraguay, the Philippines and South Africa. The organization’s honorees over the last two decades include the Sister Namibia Collective; Burmese activist Aung Myo Min; Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays and Chilean transgender activist Andrés Ignacio Rivera Duarte.
Actor Alan Cumming emceed the event, which took place less than two months after Ugandan gay activist David Kato’s murder.
IGLHRC executive director Cary Alan Johnson cited Kato’s murder and Parliamentarian David Bahati’s so-called Anti-Homosexuality Bill that would impose the death penalty upon anyone found guilty of repeated same-sex sexual acts as proof Uganda remains a country in which "grave human rights abuses against LGBT people" continue. He further applauded Sharlet for his reporting that highlighted the connections between American evangelicals and Bahati.
Sharlet added he is increasingly optimistic that Ugandan lawmakers have taken the international outcry over the Anti-Homosexuality Bill seriously. He added, however, the situation for LGBT Ugandans remains dire.
"The bill is still there; it’s still under consideration," said Sharlet. "Because of the tragic murder of David Kato, we know people are still dying."
Anaraa Nyamdorj and Munkhzaya Nergui accepted IGLHRC’s Felipa de Souza Award on behalf of the Mongolian LGBT Centre. Founded in 2006 and only formally recognized by the Mongolian government in Dec. 2009, the LGBT Centre is currently working with employers around the country to create LGBT-friendly workplaces. The organization, which is located in the Ulaanbaatar, the country’s capital, is also working to raise awareness of anti-LGBT hate crimes.
With funding from the State Department, the LGBT Centre launched a nationwide multimedia campaign last November designed to highlight anti-LGBT discrimination and hate crimes, domestic violence and a lack of relationship recognition. The campaign has appeared on three of the country’s major television networks, as well as on radio stations. Posters and even podcasts feature LGBT Centre staff.
"It has generated a lot of feedback and excitement in the society," Nyamdorj told EDGE.
She remains optimistic about the progress she and other Mongolian LGBT activists have made over the last decade. The LGBT Centre plans to submit a proposal to the Parliamentary Standing Committee State Structure in the coming days that seeks to amend the Mongolian Constitution to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, health-HIV-status and disability.
"It’s tough to be an LGBT person in Mongolia," she said, noting LGBT Mongolians routinely lose their jobs and housing and face anti-LGBT violence. "We’re simply just treated like dirt. That is the reality we’re trying to fight."
Founded in 1991; IGLHRC currently has 20 staffers in New York, Argentina, Paraguay, the Philippines and South Africa. The organization’s honorees over the last two decades include the Sister Namibia Collective; Burmese activist Aung Myo Min; Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays and Chilean transgender activist Andrés Ignacio Rivera Duarte.
Actor Alan Cumming emceed the event, which took place less than two months after Ugandan gay activist David Kato’s murder.
IGLHRC executive director Cary Alan Johnson cited Kato’s murder and Parliamentarian David Bahati’s so-called Anti-Homosexuality Bill that would impose the death penalty upon anyone found guilty of repeated same-sex sexual acts as proof Uganda remains a country in which "grave human rights abuses against LGBT people" continue. He further applauded Sharlet for his reporting that highlighted the connections between American evangelicals and Bahati.
Sharlet added he is increasingly optimistic that Ugandan lawmakers have taken the international outcry over the Anti-Homosexuality Bill seriously. He added, however, the situation for LGBT Ugandans remains dire.
"The bill is still there; it’s still under consideration," said Sharlet. "Because of the tragic murder of David Kato, we know people are still dying."
Michael K. Lavers manages the Fire Island News. His work has also appeared in the Village Voice, WNYC, the BBC, the Advocate and other media outlets. And he blogs at Boy in Bushwick [www.boyinbushwick.blogspot.com]
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Kathy Griffin Responds To Being Called A Bully By Sarah Palin
Lawrence O'Donnell talks with Kathy about her tireless work with the lgbt community and on behalf of organizations like The Trevor Project who do 'real' work with bullying.
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Broadway Cares/EFA Announces 25th Annual Easter Bonnet Competition
| BC/EFA Easter Bonnet Competition 2010 |
The Easter Bonnet Competition, the two-day Broadway spectacular that features the companies of more than twenty Broadway, off-Broadway, and touring productions singing, dancing, and donning original and stunningly creative, celebratory, and outrageous Easter bonnets, has become an annual Broadway tradition.
The 24 previous editions of the Easter Bonnet Competition have raised more than $42 million for BC/EFA.
The Easter Bonnet Competition is the culmination of six intensive weeks of fundraising efforts by company members of Broadway, Off-Broadway, and national touring productions. Curtain speeches, bucket collections, autographed poster and program sales, auctions and cabaret performances bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars from audiences prior to the competition.
| BC/EFA Easter Bonnet Competition 2010 |
Hosts, judges and special guests for the Easter Bonnet Competition will be announced in the coming weeks.
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is one of the nation’s leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations. By drawing upon the talents, resources and generosity of the American theatre community, since 1988 BC/EFA has raised over $195 million for essential services for people with AIDS and other critical illnesses across the United States.
BC/EFA also awards annual grants to more than 400 AIDS and family service organizations nationwide and is the major supporter of seven programs at The Actors Fund, including The HIV/AIDS Initiative, The Phyllis Newman Women’s Health Initiative, The Al Hirschfeld Free Health Clinic and more.
| BC/EFA Easter Bonnet Competition 2010 |
BROADWAY CARES/EQUITY FIGHTS AIDS
PRESENTS THE 25th ANNUAL
EASTER BONNET COMPETITION
Monday, April 25 at 4:30 PM
Tuesday, April 26 at 2 PM
MINSKOFF THEATRE
(200 West 45th Street)
PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT BROADWAY CARES/EQUITY FIGHTS AIDS
Tickets prices are as follows: $350 VIP Orchestra; $200 Priority Orchestra (Center); $120 Side Orchestra and Front Mezzanine; $40 Rear Side Section of Orchestra and Middle Mezzanine; $20 Rear Mezzanine.
Tickets are available now at www.broadwaycares.org or by calling (212) 840-0770 Ext. 268.
The Easter Bonnet Competition is sponsored by:
The New York Times and United Airlines, the official airline of BC/EFA.
www.broadwaycares.org
Follow Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS on Twitter @BCEFA
or on Facebook .
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House Republicans Vote to Defend DOMA in Court on Party Line 3-2 Vote
The Bipartisan House Legal Advisory Group (BLAG), by a 3-2 vote over the objections of House Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), directed the House General Counsel to defend the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in court.
Pelosi, in a statement, said:
"President Obama took a bold step forward for civil rights when he announced that the federal government would no longer argue to uphold the Defense of Marriage Act in court. DOMA is discriminatory; it's unfair and indefensible; and it betrays our nation's long-held – and long-cherished – value of equality for all.
"Since its proposal and passage, this legislation has raised constitutional questions and has been viewed as a violation of the equal protection clause. The House should not be in the business of defending an unconstitutional statute that is neither rational nor serves any governmental interest. DOMA actually discriminates against American families.
"Given the complexity and number of cases, this legal challenge would sap hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars, if not more, during a time of limited fiscal resources.
"Pursuing this legal challenge distracts from our core challenges: creating jobs, strengthening the middle class, and responsibly reducing the deficit. And that is why I voted against this action today."
“This 3-2 vote, carried over the vigorous objection of House Democratic Leaders and structured to avoid a vote of the House as a whole, is partisanship at its worst.
“The President correctly concluded that the Defense of Marriage Act cannot and should not be defended in court. It has been 15 years since Congress enacted DOMA, and the myths and stereotypes used to support its enactment have been shattered. Married gay and lesbian couples pay taxes, serve their communities, struggle to balance work and family, raise children and care for aging parents. Their contributions and needs are no different than anyone else’s. The majority of Americans understand this and now favor extending the time-honored tradition of marriage to loving and committed gay and lesbian couples. There is no legitimate reason for the federal government to continue denying married gay and lesbian couples the legal security, rights and responsibilities that recognition of their marriages would provide.
“We are extremely disappointed that the House Republican Leadership has decided to actively promote and defend discrimination; and they cannot cloak their intentions with the false assertion that the President or DOJ have failed to execute the law faithfully. The Administration considered this issue carefully, over several years, and opted not to defend DOMA in court after extensive study of the legal and factual issues at stake. Based on the lack of any reasonable arguments that justify the harm that DOMA imposes on loving gay and lesbian couples, DOJ correctly concluded that Section 3 of the law violates the Constitution. Its conclusion was hardly remarkable, as one federal judge already has ruled that the law is unconstitutional and cannot be justified under even the lowest level of judicial review.
“The President’s decision that DOJ should not be expected or required to continue making harmful and unreasonable arguments that demean its credibility, and that of the American people, was appropriate. While the decision not to continue defending a law is rare – as it should be – it is not without precedent. The President has pledged to honor his duty to faithfully execute the law by enforcing Section 3 of DOMA until it is either struck down or repealed. His courageous decision also honors his oath to ‘preserve, protect and defend the Constitution’ by ensuring that the rights it guarantees have meaning.
“Rather than seeking to defend this law in court, House Republican Leaders should work with us to repeal DOMA. This action debunks House Republican Leadership’s claim of being the so-called guarantor of states’ rights. House Republican Leaders seem only to favor states’ rights when it suits them ideologically. Rather than recognizing every states’ married couples equally, Section 3 of DOMA refuses to recognize the marriages of gay and lesbian couples from five states and the District of Columbia. Those states have a clear interest in ensuring that all of their married couples receive the same recognition under federal law. Certainly, Republican Leadership is not acting in these states’ interests.”
Human Rights Campaign president Joe Solmonese said in a statement, "Apparently, the Republicans' jobs plan is a full employment project for right-wing lawyers bent on defending discrimination. With today's vote, Speaker Boehner has made clear that an anti-equality agenda trumps helping American families in tough economic times, including loving and committed couples who are legally married in their states."
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Target strikes back at Lady Gaga, criticizes singer for backing out of deal over gay rights
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| Lady Gaga, stauch LGBT supporter, is walking away from a deal with retail giant Target. |
Looks like Lady Gaga has landed in Target's bullseye.
The retail-giant slammed the multi-platinum pop star on Wednesday after reports emerged she had ended their professional partnership over Target's refusal to cease controversial political donations.
"We were very surprised and disappointed by the statements made by Lady Gaga's organization related to her partnership with Target," the Minneapolis-based company said. "Target remains committed to the LGBT community as demonstrated by our contributions to various LGBT organizations, our recently established Policy Committee to review our political giving and our respectful, inclusive workplace environment."
News that Gaga had terminated her relationship with the superstore was first reported in The Advocate on Tuesday, which cited a source close to the singer.
"She and Target didn't see eye to eye on Target's policy of political donations and how they affect the LGBT community," the source said.
A representative for the singer confirmed the news in a statement on Wednesday, revealing that the two sides "came to a mutual decision to end their overall exclusive partnership a few weeks ago."
Gaga and Target had been negotiating a deal that would have put an exclusive version of her upcoming CD "Born This Way" on sale in the big box stores in May. But after her fans voiced their reservations, Gaga – an outspoken activist for gay rights - reportedly reconsidered.
The LGBT community was very critical of Target's $150,000 donation to MN Forward, a political action committee that supported Minnesota Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer. A staunch opponent of same-sex marriage, Emmer failed to win the state's top job.
"Part of my deal with Target is that they have to start affiliating themselves with LGBT charity groups and begin to reform and make amends for the mistakes they've made in the past … our relationship is hinged upon their reform in the company to support the gay community and to redeem the mistakes they've made supporting those [anti-gay] groups," Gaga told Billboard last month.
While the specifics surrounding Gaga's decision to walk away from the negotiations remain murky, E! Online reported that Target refused to promise it would never donate to anti-gay organizations or politicians again.
As of Wednesday evening, Target.com still featured the deluxe version of "Born This Way" for pre-order on its website. It included the standard album, three new songs and five remixes.
Off The Rails star Brendan Courtney speaks out following homophobic attack
The presenter of Off The Rails, Brendan Courtney, has spoken out after being punched in the face in what he believes is a homophobic attack in Dublin.
The attack which took place in the early hours after he left a night club made headlines in Ireland after the star appeared at the Irish Film And Television Awards sporting a black eye.
He told the Irish Independent: “I was walking home on George’s Street with a group of friends after a club night in Andrews Lane. It was about two or three in the morning.
“Some guy in his early 20s came up to me with a group of friends and punched me full force in the face. He ran off with his friends before we could get him.”
The incident is currently being investigated by the police who are examining CCTV footage recovered from the night.
Courtney added: “I felt very threatened. I have lived in Dublin city for a long time and I’d be very careful, but how do you prepare for someone running up to you out of nowhere and hitting you straight in the face? It’s absolutely disgraceful that in this day and age some people think it’s still acceptable to behave in this way.”
Last year, he revealed that he suffered from homophobic bullying while at school: “It was physical and verbal because I was obviously gay. But I’m a very forceful person and I just stopped going to school. Then I was caught and I said, ‘Sort them out or I’m not going back in’. I changed schools and I was really popular at the new one, I kind of reinvented myself.”
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Kansas Wants To Keep Unconstitutional Laws About Homosexuality on the Books
Have you ever just wanted to take someone by the lapel of his or her suit and scream, “What is wrong with you?” Right in their face? No? Maybe it’s just me.
Because I really want to go up to Jan Pauls and Lance Kinzer, both Kansas state representatives (a Democrat and Republican, respectively), and do just that.
What has caused this affective state is something that is so ridiculous, so asinine that I didn’t even think my state elected officials were capable of it. Pauls and Kinzer have successfully made a motion in the Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee to keep on the books the law that makes gay and lesbian relationships criminal.
Oh really? That’s how you’re going to play, is it? That is one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever heard.
As I am sure my dear and brilliant readers know, the Supreme Court case Lawrence v. Texas said that, no, there cannot be laws that criminalize homosexual relationships. Done. You can’t do it. Yeah, I’m looking at you Representatives Pauls and Kinzer.
Oh, and did I mention that Pauls used to be a judge? Well, she was. Way to uphold the laws of the land.
I am frankly a little surprised these laws were still on the books. I figured something like this would have been wiped clean years ago, but apparently not. That is actually what the Kansas Judicial Council was trying to do: resolve inconsistencies in the Kansas criminal code and remove unconstitutional laws. But now the law that was supposed to bring the rest of the Kansas criminal code up to date, called HB2321, has been compromised.
What do you know? Irrational posturing defeats something totally reasonable. Who would have guessed?
This is just another example of the maliciousness of the powerful. Because it doesn’t do anything, substantively. Kansas still can’t prosecute people for being in gay relationships. The last time I checked, Kansas was still part of the union. Smack in the middle, in fact. So no one can be prosecuted under that law. What we have here is simply an attempt to make LGBT people feel marginalized, maligned and less than human.
This is not what the law is supposed to do. The law should protect people, lift them up. The law should be fair and not give credence to privately held prejudices that say some people are inherently worth less than others.
There is nothing in Representatives Pauls’ and Kinzer’s actions but bile and hate. The people of Kansas deserve so much better.
Please join me in telling the Kansas House to reject HB2321 until all unconstitutional laws are stricken from the books.
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Cuomo Vows Personal Push to Legalize Gay Marriage
By MICHAEL BARBARO and NICHOLAS CONFESSORE -
In a closed-door meeting with gay advocates, Gov. pledged on Wednesday to deploy his own political popularity and prestige to push for the legalization of in New York, saying he was prepared to devote his “full attention” to the cause this spring.
“For me, this is personal,” Mr. Cuomo said at one point, according to two people with direct knowledge of the session.
The governor’s remarks, which participants in the meeting described as unexpectedly forceful and impassioned, suggested that Mr. Cuomo and his aides intend to become deeply involved in overseeing a campaign over the next few months to permit such marriages in the state.
And they were especially striking in light of Mr. Cuomo’s long and at times fraught relationship with the gay community.
The legalization of same-sex marriage still faces daunting challenges in New York, where it was defeated in the State Senate two years ago by a wide margin. But Mr. Cuomo’s commitment to using his political savvy and muscle could give advocates something they had long lacked: a unifying, persuasive leader who understands the wiles and ways of Albany.
That could prove crucial now that the Senate is controlled by Republicans, none of whom voted to legalize same-sex marriage in 2009, when the Democrats held a narrow majority.
“This meeting was intended to send a statement directly from the governor that this state is going to lead on this issue — and he is going to lead it,” said Richard Socarides, the president of the gay rights group Equality Matters, who participated in the hourlong session at the Capitol.
In a sign of Mr. Cuomo’s determination to be closely engaged, he will assign his most senior aide, Steven M. Cohen, to oversee the administration’s efforts on the issue. Mr. Cohen, who holds the title of secretary to the governor, normally functions as Mr. Cuomo’s top strategist and day-to-day manager of the executive chamber and is less typically involved in handling specific legislative matters.
But exactly when — or even if — same-sex marriage will come to a vote this year remains uncertain. People involved in the discussions said Mr. Cuomo and advocates were determined to avoid a repeat of the embarrassing defeat on the Senate floor in 2009, when Democratic lawmakers, advocates and Gov. David A. Paterson had difficulty coordinating their efforts, misjudged support for the bill and won far fewer votes than they had predicted. After passing in the Assembly, the bill was defeated in the Senate by a vote of 38 to 24.
This time, a person involved in the discussions said, “the governor’s office is really going to quarterback this.” Those who described the meeting did so on the condition of anonymity, citing the governor’s desire to keep the discussion confidential.
Republicans made gains in both chambers of the Legislature last fall. On Wednesday, Mr. Cuomo told advocates that it would make little sense for him or for the advocates to push for a floor vote unless there were enough votes for passage in the Senate, participants said.
Mr. Cuomo’s timing depends, to some degree, on the state budget, his chief priority. Should the Legislature pass the governor’s budget by the April 1 deadline, he would be likely to move more quickly to other priorities, including same-sex marriage and legislation to strengthen New York’s ethics laws. But if Mr. Cuomo becomes embroiled in a drawn-out, acrimonious budget fight with the Legislature — a distinct possibility — he would most likely seek to let passions cool before jumping into another contentious legislative battle.
The meeting with gay advocates, and Mr. Cuomo’s hourlong participation, seemed to signal a new phase in the same-sex-marriage debate in New York: attendees emphasized that the governor might have easily farmed out the issue to top aides, but that he had instead decided to put his stamp on it.
Surrounded by leaders of the state’s most prominent gay rights groups and his top advisers, Mr. Cuomo opened the session by describing the state’s crucial place in the history of movements like women’s liberation, gay rights and environmental justice, according to those who attended.
New York, he said, was not leading on same-sex marriage, and he suggested that it was time for the state to restore its reputation for progressive change.
Calling many in the room friends, he said the issue had taken on a personal dimension for him, because of his relationship with gay people he has known for years. Ross D. Levi, who attended the meeting and leads the Empire State Pride Agenda, a leading gay rights group in New York, said the governor’s commitment of support was “very satisfying.”
In a statement issued after the meeting, Mr. Cuomo hinted at his personal investment in the marriage debate. “To me this is more than just a piece of legislation,” he said. “This is about the lives of people who I have known for many years, who currently are without the rights to which they are entitled.”
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In a closed-door meeting with gay advocates, Gov. pledged on Wednesday to deploy his own political popularity and prestige to push for the legalization of in New York, saying he was prepared to devote his “full attention” to the cause this spring.
“For me, this is personal,” Mr. Cuomo said at one point, according to two people with direct knowledge of the session.
The governor’s remarks, which participants in the meeting described as unexpectedly forceful and impassioned, suggested that Mr. Cuomo and his aides intend to become deeply involved in overseeing a campaign over the next few months to permit such marriages in the state.
And they were especially striking in light of Mr. Cuomo’s long and at times fraught relationship with the gay community.
The legalization of same-sex marriage still faces daunting challenges in New York, where it was defeated in the State Senate two years ago by a wide margin. But Mr. Cuomo’s commitment to using his political savvy and muscle could give advocates something they had long lacked: a unifying, persuasive leader who understands the wiles and ways of Albany.
That could prove crucial now that the Senate is controlled by Republicans, none of whom voted to legalize same-sex marriage in 2009, when the Democrats held a narrow majority.
“This meeting was intended to send a statement directly from the governor that this state is going to lead on this issue — and he is going to lead it,” said Richard Socarides, the president of the gay rights group Equality Matters, who participated in the hourlong session at the Capitol.
In a sign of Mr. Cuomo’s determination to be closely engaged, he will assign his most senior aide, Steven M. Cohen, to oversee the administration’s efforts on the issue. Mr. Cohen, who holds the title of secretary to the governor, normally functions as Mr. Cuomo’s top strategist and day-to-day manager of the executive chamber and is less typically involved in handling specific legislative matters.
But exactly when — or even if — same-sex marriage will come to a vote this year remains uncertain. People involved in the discussions said Mr. Cuomo and advocates were determined to avoid a repeat of the embarrassing defeat on the Senate floor in 2009, when Democratic lawmakers, advocates and Gov. David A. Paterson had difficulty coordinating their efforts, misjudged support for the bill and won far fewer votes than they had predicted. After passing in the Assembly, the bill was defeated in the Senate by a vote of 38 to 24.
This time, a person involved in the discussions said, “the governor’s office is really going to quarterback this.” Those who described the meeting did so on the condition of anonymity, citing the governor’s desire to keep the discussion confidential.
Republicans made gains in both chambers of the Legislature last fall. On Wednesday, Mr. Cuomo told advocates that it would make little sense for him or for the advocates to push for a floor vote unless there were enough votes for passage in the Senate, participants said.
Mr. Cuomo’s timing depends, to some degree, on the state budget, his chief priority. Should the Legislature pass the governor’s budget by the April 1 deadline, he would be likely to move more quickly to other priorities, including same-sex marriage and legislation to strengthen New York’s ethics laws. But if Mr. Cuomo becomes embroiled in a drawn-out, acrimonious budget fight with the Legislature — a distinct possibility — he would most likely seek to let passions cool before jumping into another contentious legislative battle.
The meeting with gay advocates, and Mr. Cuomo’s hourlong participation, seemed to signal a new phase in the same-sex-marriage debate in New York: attendees emphasized that the governor might have easily farmed out the issue to top aides, but that he had instead decided to put his stamp on it.
Surrounded by leaders of the state’s most prominent gay rights groups and his top advisers, Mr. Cuomo opened the session by describing the state’s crucial place in the history of movements like women’s liberation, gay rights and environmental justice, according to those who attended.
New York, he said, was not leading on same-sex marriage, and he suggested that it was time for the state to restore its reputation for progressive change.
Calling many in the room friends, he said the issue had taken on a personal dimension for him, because of his relationship with gay people he has known for years. Ross D. Levi, who attended the meeting and leads the Empire State Pride Agenda, a leading gay rights group in New York, said the governor’s commitment of support was “very satisfying.”
In a statement issued after the meeting, Mr. Cuomo hinted at his personal investment in the marriage debate. “To me this is more than just a piece of legislation,” he said. “This is about the lives of people who I have known for many years, who currently are without the rights to which they are entitled.”
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Trans star Dana International returns to Eurovision
Transgender singer Dana International is to represent Israel again in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
The 39-year-old star, real name Sharon Cohen, will perform her new song Ding Dong in the competition.
She won the contest for Israel in 1998 and since then, has released eight albums, making her one of the country’s most successful pop acts.
Israeli television viewers selected her to represent them this week.
After the results were announced, she told the Yediot Aharonot newspaper: “I’m crazy about this country
“I love everyone and I’m really happy to have been given another opportunity to bring the Eurovison back to Israel.”
Eurovision will be held in Germany this year.
In 2009, the final of the contest was held in Moscow.
Gay rights campaigners including Peter Tatchell were arrested after staging a march in the same week to highlight homophobia in the Russian capital.
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Residents in London's East End plan Gay Pride to combat hate
A group of friends from east London are to stage the first East End Gay Pride as a response to an anti-gay poster campaign in the area.
Last month, PinkNews.co.uk revealed that an anonymous sticker campaign had declared the area a “gay-free zone”.
Now, the group of six friends are arranging a Pride parade for April 2nd and say they want to show they are “here and queer”.
Organiser Raymond Berry, a transport worker who lives in east London, said: “We want to send a message that this is actually a very gay-friendly area. We’re here, we’re queer, so get used to it.”
He and five friends, who all live or work in the area, say they have been going out at weekends to scrape the stickers off walls and lampposts.
Mr Berry, who says the parade is open to everyone, told PinkNews.co.uk: “This isn’t the kind of Pride parade people are used to. It will just be the march and then the White Swan is putting on music and cabaret so people can have a day of it.
“No disrespect to the big events, but this is the first Pride in a long time that really means something – it’s a direct response to a hate campaign. It’s taking it back to the old days of Pride and that’s the spirit we want everyone to get into.”
The parade has been backed by local police and Tower Hamlets council.
However, the friends have no idea how many participants are expected as “bickering” meant they had to delete their Facebook page for the event.
The source of the anti-gay stickers has not been identified but there has been animosity in the local LGBT community over who is responsible.
Last week, gay journalist and East End resident Johann Hari said the east London gay community was unwilling to blame anti-gay attacks on the high proportion of Muslim residents.
Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has also drawn attention to anti-gay attacks by Asian youths.
But Jack Gilbert, of LGBT forum Rainbow Hamlets, claimed the stickers, which mention Allah, were probably made by the English Defence League.
Mr Berry said: “We’re not here to discuss who or why – that’s up to the police and local authorities.”
He has emphasised that the parade is non-political and has asked marchers not to bring any political signs or banners.
The group also says it has had to reject requests from organisations such as the English Defence League, the Socialist Workers Party and Unite Against Fascism to “jump on board” with the event.
The march will begin in Shadwell’s King Edward Memorial Park, passing along The Highway and Commercial Road before ending at Poplar Recreational Park.
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Urgent: Fight for Marriage Equality in Maryland
Targeting: The MD State House
Started by: Equality Maryland
Last week, the House Judicial Proceedings Committee of the Maryland House of Delegates voted 12 to 10 to advance the Civil Marriage Protection Act to the House floor.
That means we're only one step away from marriage equality in Maryland: a full floor vote in the House of Delegates.
Delegates and their staff are reporting that the opposition is flooding their offices with slanderous lies about gay and lesbian couples and their families like never before.
But lies and discrimination won't win in these final moments if we all join the fight for marriage equality in Maryland.
Same-sex couples want the same things all couples want: the ability to protect and provide for their families. Yet each day, gay and lesbian couples in Maryland are excluded from the respect and recognition that only marriage provides.
It's time for every Maryland couple to be able to marry the person he or she loves.
Sign this petition to urge the House of Delegates to pass the Civil Marriage Protection Act.
That means we're only one step away from marriage equality in Maryland: a full floor vote in the House of Delegates.
Delegates and their staff are reporting that the opposition is flooding their offices with slanderous lies about gay and lesbian couples and their families like never before.
But lies and discrimination won't win in these final moments if we all join the fight for marriage equality in Maryland.
Same-sex couples want the same things all couples want: the ability to protect and provide for their families. Yet each day, gay and lesbian couples in Maryland are excluded from the respect and recognition that only marriage provides.
It's time for every Maryland couple to be able to marry the person he or she loves.
Sign this petition to urge the House of Delegates to pass the Civil Marriage Protection Act.
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R.I. Catholics Remain Divided Over Marriage Equality
| Congressman James Langevin [D-R.I.] |
Marriage equality efforts in the Ocean State received a major boost when Congressman James Langevin announced on March 5 that he now supports allowing same-sex couples to the knot.
Langevin, a staunch Roman Catholic who holds socially conservative positions on abortion and other issues, had previously supported civil unions-but not marriage for same-sex couples.
"Three years ago, I attended the commitment ceremony of a longtime staff member and his partner of nine years," said Langevin in his statement. "Before their friends and family, they professed their love, commitment and respect for each other. Their sentiments were just as moving, heartfelt and sincere as any of the vows I had heard at other weddings, yet I realized that their union would not be treated the same under the law. That difference struck me as fundamentally unjust, and I began to challenge the wisdom of creating separate categories of rights for certain groups of citizens. I began to see that civil unions fell short of the equality I believed that same-sex couples deserved."
The House Judiciary Committee heard testimony for and against a marriage equality bill last month, while the Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to conduct a hearing on the same measure on Thursday, March 10.
House Speaker Gordon Fox (D-Providence) said a committee vote could take place this week. Governor Lincoln Chafee has urged lawmakers to support the bill.
"As the General Assembly considers this important topic, I ask lawmakers and all Rhode Islanders to honor our state’s founding principles of tolerance and freedom and to support marriage equality in our state," added Langevin. "It’s time to do the right thing."
LGBT activists quickly praised Langevin for his change of heart.
"I think this is a great development and hope other lawmakers can evolve toward full equality as well," said Wendy Becker of Providence. "My guess is there are many legislators who are privately supporting us but haven’t been ready to take a public position. Hopefully his opinion piece will help them do just that."
The Rev. David Martins of St. Therese Old Catholic Church in Providence, which is affiliated with the North American Catholic Church, also welcomed Langevin’s announcement. "The entire purpose of marriage is to invoke the Holy Spirit on the couple so they can have the grace they need to be faithful to one another, and to strengthen their commitment," he said. "A gay couple needs that as much as any other couple."
The Roman Catholic Church and the National Organization for Marriage have both voiced their opposition to nuptials for same-sex couples. NOM has run television and radio commercials encouraging voters to contact their legislators and urge them to put the issue on the ballot, while claiming as many as 80 percent of the population wants to vote on marriage for same-sex couples.
Bishop Thomas Tobin of the Diocese of Providence criticized the Obama administration’s decision to no longer defend the Defense of Marriage Act.
"The President’s incomprehensible and misguided decision should also serve as a call to action for citizens of Rhode Island who are currently confronting a similar attempt to impose same-sex marriage on our state," he said in a Feb. 23 statement. "The Catholic Church in Rhode Island will redouble its efforts to protect and promote the traditional values of marriage and family that have been given to us by God and serve as the foundation of our culture."
There are a number of religious leaders in Rhode Island, however, who support marriage for same-sex couples.
"As a religious leader, I will not rest until marriage is available for all, regardless of gender," The Rev. Gene Dyszlewski, pastor at Riverside Congregational Church in East Providence, told EDGE. "I sanctify marriages. I will continue to borrow a church in Massachusetts until Rhode Island law is changed."
Dyszlewski heads the Religious Coalition for Marriage Equality, a group of more than 100 clergy from various denominations. Christopher Plante, executive director of NOM’s Rhode Island chapter, remained adamant in his opposition to nuptials for gays and lesbians.
"The facts remain clear; the legalization of same-sex marriage has had profound impacts on states and families, and will have similar impacts in Rhode Island if the Legislature redefines marriage," he said.
NOM is encouraging their Rhode Island supporters to testify at the March 10 hearing. The organization is also urging them to pray that marriage for gays and lesbians will not become a reality in the Ocean State.
"The entire process needs to be bathed in prayer, not only for the outcome, but for the peace and productivity of the proceedings," reads a message on NOM’s web site.
Langevin, a staunch Roman Catholic who holds socially conservative positions on abortion and other issues, had previously supported civil unions-but not marriage for same-sex couples.
"Three years ago, I attended the commitment ceremony of a longtime staff member and his partner of nine years," said Langevin in his statement. "Before their friends and family, they professed their love, commitment and respect for each other. Their sentiments were just as moving, heartfelt and sincere as any of the vows I had heard at other weddings, yet I realized that their union would not be treated the same under the law. That difference struck me as fundamentally unjust, and I began to challenge the wisdom of creating separate categories of rights for certain groups of citizens. I began to see that civil unions fell short of the equality I believed that same-sex couples deserved."
The House Judiciary Committee heard testimony for and against a marriage equality bill last month, while the Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to conduct a hearing on the same measure on Thursday, March 10.
House Speaker Gordon Fox (D-Providence) said a committee vote could take place this week. Governor Lincoln Chafee has urged lawmakers to support the bill.
"As the General Assembly considers this important topic, I ask lawmakers and all Rhode Islanders to honor our state’s founding principles of tolerance and freedom and to support marriage equality in our state," added Langevin. "It’s time to do the right thing."
LGBT activists quickly praised Langevin for his change of heart.
"I think this is a great development and hope other lawmakers can evolve toward full equality as well," said Wendy Becker of Providence. "My guess is there are many legislators who are privately supporting us but haven’t been ready to take a public position. Hopefully his opinion piece will help them do just that."
The Rev. David Martins of St. Therese Old Catholic Church in Providence, which is affiliated with the North American Catholic Church, also welcomed Langevin’s announcement. "The entire purpose of marriage is to invoke the Holy Spirit on the couple so they can have the grace they need to be faithful to one another, and to strengthen their commitment," he said. "A gay couple needs that as much as any other couple."
The Roman Catholic Church and the National Organization for Marriage have both voiced their opposition to nuptials for same-sex couples. NOM has run television and radio commercials encouraging voters to contact their legislators and urge them to put the issue on the ballot, while claiming as many as 80 percent of the population wants to vote on marriage for same-sex couples.
Bishop Thomas Tobin of the Diocese of Providence criticized the Obama administration’s decision to no longer defend the Defense of Marriage Act.
"The President’s incomprehensible and misguided decision should also serve as a call to action for citizens of Rhode Island who are currently confronting a similar attempt to impose same-sex marriage on our state," he said in a Feb. 23 statement. "The Catholic Church in Rhode Island will redouble its efforts to protect and promote the traditional values of marriage and family that have been given to us by God and serve as the foundation of our culture."
There are a number of religious leaders in Rhode Island, however, who support marriage for same-sex couples.
"As a religious leader, I will not rest until marriage is available for all, regardless of gender," The Rev. Gene Dyszlewski, pastor at Riverside Congregational Church in East Providence, told EDGE. "I sanctify marriages. I will continue to borrow a church in Massachusetts until Rhode Island law is changed."
Dyszlewski heads the Religious Coalition for Marriage Equality, a group of more than 100 clergy from various denominations. Christopher Plante, executive director of NOM’s Rhode Island chapter, remained adamant in his opposition to nuptials for gays and lesbians.
"The facts remain clear; the legalization of same-sex marriage has had profound impacts on states and families, and will have similar impacts in Rhode Island if the Legislature redefines marriage," he said.
NOM is encouraging their Rhode Island supporters to testify at the March 10 hearing. The organization is also urging them to pray that marriage for gays and lesbians will not become a reality in the Ocean State.
"The entire process needs to be bathed in prayer, not only for the outcome, but for the peace and productivity of the proceedings," reads a message on NOM’s web site.
Joe Siegel has written for a number of other GLBT publications, including In newsweekly and Options.
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Flour Bluff High School in Corpus Christi TX Acknowledges Gay-Straight Alliance Club Has The Right To Meet
School Had Initially Denied Student And ACLU Client Nikki Peet Permission To Form Club
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – The Board of Trustees of Flour Bluff Independent School District in Corpus Christi, TX granted permission late Tuesday night to students to form a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) club on the campus of Flour Bluff High School after the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Texas had intervened on behalf of Nikki Peet, a high school student who had been denied permission to start the club. The school had previously threatened to prevent all extracurricular groups from meeting rather than allow the GSA to form.GSAs are student-run extracurricular clubs that bring together lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and straight students to support each other and promote tolerance, and are common in public school districts throughout Texas and the nation.
“I’m so glad that the school board is doing the right thing and letting us meet just like any other club at school,” said Peet. “It shouldn’t have taken this long and this much struggle to start a club whose purpose is to make our school a safer space for all students. We can’t wait for the first meeting.”
Peet first approached Principal James Crenshaw in November 2010 with a request to form a GSA. In response, Crenshaw asked her to change the club’s name and mission. She submitted a revised proposal in January 2011, which the school again denied. The ACLU sent a notice letter which said that denying the GSA the ability to meet would violate the First Amendment and the Equal Access Act, which requires schools to treat extracurricular clubs equally.
“Public schools should promote tolerance and acceptance of diversity, rather than discrimination,” said Christine P. Sun, senior counsel with the ACLU Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Project. “Flour Bluff has done the right thing by granting all students a chance to support this important cause, and we’ll be watching to make sure that the district lives up to its promise.”
Students and activists from around the country have expressed support for Peet and for the GSA. A petition circulated by Change.org garnered over 54,000 signatures, and local activists held a rally outside of the school on March 4. Though the school district has yet to confirm the decision in writing, the school board voted to allow all extracurricular clubs, including the GSA, to meet on campus for at least the remainder of the school year following a four-hour closed session meeting on March 8.
“The outpouring of support for Nikki and for the GSA shows that there is a real need for clubs like this to help young people feel safe and secure about who they are,” said Lisa Graybill, Legal Director for the ACLU of Texas. “We are glad that the Flour Bluff school board has recognized the free speech rights of Nikki and her peers.”
For a copy of the demand letter, please visit: http://www.aclu.org/lgbt-rights/aclu-letter-flour-bluff-independent-school-district-regarding-gay-straight-alliance-club
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Advocates Upbeat After Cuomo Meeting
BY PAUL SCHINDLER -
A March 9 meeting that Governor Andrew Cuomo convened with nine leaders in the effort to enact a marriage equality law this year in New York is getting very positive reviews from several participants who spoke to Gay City News, both on the record and on background.
“I’ve been to lots of meetings where presidents or governors call people in to say that they’re with them, and this one was really extraordinary,” said Richard Socarides, the executive director of Equality Matters, a new LGBT-focused effort of the progressive watchdog Media Matters. During the Clinton administration, Socarides, an attorney, was the White House liaison to the LGBT community.
“What was clear to me from the meeting is that the governor is very committed to this,” Socarides continued. “He is prepared to do what it takes to get it done. He’s going to work on it and his team is going to work on it as soon as they get the budget done.”
Acknowledging that Cuomo did not put it in so many words, Socarides said if the budget is completed on or close to the April 1 deadline, with both Senate Republicans and Assembly Democrats reasonably content about that process, “I think he will turn to this, and it will be his top priority.”
Socarides was not alone in his glowing assessment. Another participant, who did not wish to be identified, said, “The governor is really, really focused on this. He is putting the smartest people in his office on it.”
Saying they had seen the governor in action over a number of years, this source said, “I’ve only ever seen him this excited about something a handful of times.” According to that individual, the March 9 meeting, held in the State Capitol Building in Albany, came at the behest of Cuomo.
In addition to Socarides, those representing the lesbian and gay community at the meeting included three elected officials –– Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell and Senator Tom Duane, both out gay Manhattan Democrats who are the lead sponsors of the marriage bill, and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn.
LGBT advocacy groups were represented by Ross Levi, the executive director of the Empire State Pride Agenda, Evan Wolfson, the executive director of Freedom to Marry who first became involved in marriage litigation in the mid-1990s in Hawaii, and Brian Ellner, who heads up the New York marriage effort at the Human Rights Campaign.
Also on hand were Mike Avella, a GOP lobbyist who has represented the Log Cabin Republicans on this issue and who Socarides said was also there on behalf of the Gill Action Fund, the Colorado-based LGBT political group founded by software entrepreneur Tim Gill, and Kevin Finnegan, the political director at Service Employees International Union Local 1199, one of the state’s most powerful labor organizations. Finnegan worked for Cuomo in his 2002 gubernatorial bid.
Two other invited participants were unable to attend –– Jeff Cook, the state Log Cabin Republicans’ legislative advisor, and Emily Giske, a government affairs specialist at Bolton-St. Johns who has served as a state Democratic Party vice-chair.
A source told Gay City News that one of the key issues discussed was just how proactive the governor’s team should be in coordinating the effort. There was initial resistance to the idea of stepping on legislative prerogatives, but then Socarides –– though not by his own account, in speaking to Gay City News –– made a persuasive case that in the absence of a quarterback in the executive branch on an issue of this significance, there is danger that the governor’s commitment might not be effectively represented.
Steven Cohen, a former federal prosecutor who is secretary to the governor, which puts him in one of the most powerful positions in Cuomo’s inner circle, will play that role –– something that provides a compelling objective standard to back up the characterizations of the meeting Socarides and others provided.
In addition to Cohen, others on Cuomo’s staff at the meeting –– which ran more than 90 minutes, with the governor in attendance for just over an hour –– were his counsel, Mylan Denerstein, Alphonso David, the out gay deputy secretary for civil rights who earlier in his career was an attorney at Lambda Legal, and community liaison Erik Bottcher, who formerly held this same post in Quinn’s office.
The marriage measure has been approved three times since 2007 by the heavily Democratic Assembly. The Senate, now controlled 32-30 by Republicans, rejected the marriage equality measure by a 38-24 vote in December 2009, when the Democrats held a narrow margin.
Though all 30 Republicans in the Senate at that time voted no, the GOP majority leader, Dean Skelos of Long Island, last fall told the Log Cabin Republicans he would bring the bill before his conference and expected they would approve another floor debate and vote.
There are now 26 confirmed public votes in favor of marriage equality, all of them Democrats. Given the fervent opposition of Bronx Democrat Ruben Diaz and the two-vote Democratic deficit, advocates must find at least three Republican votes to achieve victory, and may well need more than that.
On the Democratic side, Shirley Huntley and Joseph Addabbo of Queens and Carl Kruger of Brooklyn all voted no last time.
John Sampson, the Brooklyn Democrat who is the Senate minority leader, has repeatedly assured advocates he could bring Huntley around if her vote were the deciding factor. Last year, however, she faced the unified opposition of the LGBT community during a primary challenge she easily surmounted.
Addabbo, whose first campaign for the Senate in 2008 was run by a staff member on loan from Duane, outraged the Chelsea senator and many activists when he cast his no vote in 2009.
Some activists believed Kruger could be persuaded to change his vote, but as this story goes to publication there is breaking news that he will surrender on March 10 on federal corruption charges; whether he will stay in his seat as he fights to stay out of jail is unknown.
Last fall, Gregory T. Angelo, chair of the Log Cabin Republicans of New York, told Gay City News that if the Democrats produce 26 or 27 votes, he was comfortable his party could deliver the five or six needed for passage.
At the March 9 meeting, participants agreed that playbooks would be assembled on potential Republican votes, laying out the best approaches –– through business leaders, union officials, clergy, for example –– for turning that senator from a no to a yes.
“This is the way a legislative campaign is done,” one participant told Gay City News. “It’s never been smart before. And Andrew wants to make this smart.”
Levi and his team at the Pride Agenda will play the lead role in coordinating the field effort across the state to bring out grassroots support –– among LGBT community members, and allied local elected officials and business, labor, and religious leaders –– to put pressure on Republican senators.
Recent public opinion polls –– which have uniformly put support for the issue above 55 percent statewide, and at 60 percent or better, not only in New York City, but also on Long Island and the suburbs north of the city –– will certainly be a plus, with those inclined to vote no surely weighing whether the political tides are moving strongly against them.
In the effort to mobilize people on the ground statewide between now and May –– acknowledging that “the votes are not there now,” Socarides termed grassroots efforts “crucial” –– the governor’s team caused itself at least some temporary problems by failing to include in the meeting a representative of Marriage Equality New York (MENY), a volunteer group active on the issue for a dozen years, or newer organizations that have sprung up more recently.
Upon learning of the meeting the evening before it took place, Cathy Marino-Thomas, MENY’s communications director, said, “There they go again forgetting the grassroots, which they will need.”
Told of the assessment from the meeting that grassroots efforts would be “crucial” going forward, she said, “If it’s so crucial, why didn’t they invite the grassroots to the table?”
Recalling the role MENY and another volunteer group, Queer Rising, played in last year’s special election when José Peralta, a pro-marriage Queens Democrat, defeated former Senator Hiram Monserrate, expelled after a domestic violence conviction, Marino-Thomas speculated about a potential vacancy in Kruger’s Brooklyn district.
“Who will go out to the district to work to get this done?,” she asked.
Despite her pique –– and “confusion” –– over the snub of grassroots representatives, Marino-Thomas said, “I don’t want to be the person who gets in the way here. I want to make sure we get this passed.”
In a statement issued shortly after the meeting, the governor said, "Today's meeting was one in a series of many meetings to discuss a marriage equality bill… I look forward to working with lawmakers and stakeholders to make sure that New York joins the growing number of states that allow the freedom to marry for all couples."
Many others at the meeting declined on the record comment, though in advance of the gathering, Mark Furnish, a Duane spokesman, in an email message, wrote, “Senator Duane is very pleased that Governor Cuomo has called this meeting. He is looking forward to working with everyone together to make marriage equality a reality in New York.”
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Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Demand that Apple remove "ex-gay" iPhone app
Started by: Truth Wins Out
Exodus International, the notorious "ex-gay" organization, has just released an iPhone app that, according to its website, is "designed to be a useful resource for men, women, parents, students, and ministry leaders." The Exodus website further boasts that its app received a 4+ rating from Apple, meaning that it contains "no objectionable content."
No objectionable content? We beg to differ. Exodus' message is hateful and bigoted. They claim to offer "freedom from homosexuality through the power of Jesus Christ" and use scare tactics, misinformation, stereotypes and distortions of LGBT life to recruit clients. They endorse the use of so-called "reparative therapy" to "change" the sexual orientation of their clients, despite the fact that this form of "therapy" has been rejected by every major professional medical organization including the American Psychological Association, the American Medical Association, and the American Counseling Association. But reparative therapy isn't just bad medicine -- it's also very damaging to the self-esteem and mental health of its victims.
This new iPhone app is the latest move in Exodus' dangerous new strategy of targeting youth. In light of the recent wave of LGBT youth suicides, this tactic is particularly galling as it creates, legitimizes, and fuels the ostracism of LGBT youth by their families. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, LGBT teens who experienced negative feedback from their family were 8 times more likely to have attempted suicide, 6 times as vulnerable to severe depression, and 3 times more likely to use drugs (Caitlin Ryan, San Francisco State University, June 2009).
Apple doesn't allow racist or anti-Semitic apps in its app store, yet it gives the green light to an app targeting vulnerable LGBT youth with the message that their sexual orientation is a "sin that will make your heart sick" and a "counterfeit." This is a double standard that has the potential for devastating consequences.
Apple needs to be told, loud and clear, that this is unacceptable. Stand with Truth Wins Out -- demand that the iTunes store stop supporting homophobia and remove the Exodus app.
No objectionable content? We beg to differ. Exodus' message is hateful and bigoted. They claim to offer "freedom from homosexuality through the power of Jesus Christ" and use scare tactics, misinformation, stereotypes and distortions of LGBT life to recruit clients. They endorse the use of so-called "reparative therapy" to "change" the sexual orientation of their clients, despite the fact that this form of "therapy" has been rejected by every major professional medical organization including the American Psychological Association, the American Medical Association, and the American Counseling Association. But reparative therapy isn't just bad medicine -- it's also very damaging to the self-esteem and mental health of its victims.
This new iPhone app is the latest move in Exodus' dangerous new strategy of targeting youth. In light of the recent wave of LGBT youth suicides, this tactic is particularly galling as it creates, legitimizes, and fuels the ostracism of LGBT youth by their families. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, LGBT teens who experienced negative feedback from their family were 8 times more likely to have attempted suicide, 6 times as vulnerable to severe depression, and 3 times more likely to use drugs (Caitlin Ryan, San Francisco State University, June 2009).
Apple doesn't allow racist or anti-Semitic apps in its app store, yet it gives the green light to an app targeting vulnerable LGBT youth with the message that their sexual orientation is a "sin that will make your heart sick" and a "counterfeit." This is a double standard that has the potential for devastating consequences.
Apple needs to be told, loud and clear, that this is unacceptable. Stand with Truth Wins Out -- demand that the iTunes store stop supporting homophobia and remove the Exodus app.
=end-
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Get Equal - Count Me In
Just as we did almost one year ago with then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), activists are staging a sit-in inside the district office of Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) right this minute. As Boehner's constituents, they're angry that he's pursuing anti-LGBT legislation at the expense of jobs. As Americans, they're angry that our elected officials are spending time to continue writing discrimination into the law of the land, rather than getting people employed, fed, sheltered, healthy, safe, and educated.
As we gear up to launch some exciting new game-changing programs over the next two years, continuing to apply pressure to elected officials like we are today, we need to make sure we are able to fully fund our projects –- and we need your ongoing support to make that happen.
Over the next 12 days -- starting with today's sit-in at Speaker Boehner's office -- we are launching a GetEQUAL monthly membership drive. We've set an aggressive goal of finding 365 supporters who are willing to donate $15.00 per month (that's just 50 cents a day) to help sustain GetEQUAL's work nationally and on the state level. We know that sounds like a lot, but it's one dinner out, a few coffees a month, or the cost of a John Boehner spray tan to arm us with the tools we need to fight for our collective equality!
Why are monthly gifts so important? Because it allows us to plan farther out and organize larger, more aggressive actions – knowing the funding will already be there. Monthly gifts also free up our small staff's time to focus more on creating actions and launching new and aggressive programs. The other great news about this drive is that any monthly gift will be matched for the first six months by a group of our strongest supporters!!
Can we count you in to give $15.00 per month to give us the tools to grow and take even more actions over the next two years? We need to make sure we have the resources to support all the incredible organizers out there who will continue to take action until we're fully equal!
Thank you so much for your support -- we look forward to taking more action in more places with more people throughout the course of the year!
Get Out! Get Active! GetEQUAL!
The GetEQUAL Team (Robin, Heather, Michelle, Dan, and John)
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Transgender New Yorkers to Get Marriage Licenses
Transgender New Yorkers will be able to apply for marriage licenses under a new city policy, according to a March 8 press release from the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund.
"The policy was adopted as part of an agreement to resolve threatened legal action involving a transgender couple," the release states. "The couple wishes to remain private and we refer to them as Jane and John.
"Jane and John are both transgender," the release continues. "They are an opposite-sex couple who have been in a relationship for over a decade. In Dec. 2009, they attempted to marry in the Bronx. They fulfilled all of the requirements for receiving a marriage license in New York City and presented their government-issued photo identification--the only identification required by the City Clerk’s office.
"Rather than issuing the marriage license, the City Clerk refused and instead demanded that Jane and John produce their birth certificates before they could be married--something not required of other marriage license applicants," the release added.
"Under the terms of the new policy, issued on Feb. 7, 2011, once a marriage license applicant produces the required photo ID, the City Clerk may not request additional proof of sex," the release says. "Moreover, City Clerk employees are forbidden from considering the applicant’s appearance or preconceived notions related to gender expression when deciding whether to issue a marriage license."
"Transgender people are challenged all the time about their status as men and women," Michael Silverman, the executive director of Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund, said. "Our clients are legally entitled to marry and were denied that right just because they are transgender. We applaud the City Clerk’s office for adopting this policy and for taking steps to ensure that this does not happen again."
"In addition to the adoption of the new policy, the agreement to resolve the couple’s claims calls for the City Clerk to apologize to Jane and John, to institute training for all City Clerk employees on issues relating to gender identity and gender expression, and to ensure that Jane and John are free to marry at a time and place of their choosing," the release added.
Transgender citizens can find it difficult to obtain identification that accurately reflects their gender identity.
"As the federal government requires the use of identification for more purposes, it is becoming increasingly difficult for many transgender people to access accurate documents," text at the website for the National Center for Transgender Equality states.
"Without the consistent identification that many people take for granted, it can be impossible to travel, open a bank account, or apply for a job. The Bush administration implemented ideologically-driven restrictions for changing ID, making it especially difficult to access passports and social security accounts, which are ’gateway’ documents that can impact ability to acquire other forms of ID."
The site calls for the repeal of the REAL ID Act, a 2005 law that tightened restrictions on resident aliens and set out national guidelines for state-level ID documents such as drivers’ licenses and ID cards.
However, in some states it is possible for transgender citizens to obtain updated drivers’ licenses that reflect their gender identity. In California, an incident in which a DMV worker allegedly harassed a transwoman led to a privacy claim against the agency last year.
In New York, a 2009 court decision found that transgendered people choosing new names to fit their gender identity no longer needed documentation from a doctor to make the change legal.
"The policy was adopted as part of an agreement to resolve threatened legal action involving a transgender couple," the release states. "The couple wishes to remain private and we refer to them as Jane and John.
"Jane and John are both transgender," the release continues. "They are an opposite-sex couple who have been in a relationship for over a decade. In Dec. 2009, they attempted to marry in the Bronx. They fulfilled all of the requirements for receiving a marriage license in New York City and presented their government-issued photo identification--the only identification required by the City Clerk’s office.
"Rather than issuing the marriage license, the City Clerk refused and instead demanded that Jane and John produce their birth certificates before they could be married--something not required of other marriage license applicants," the release added.
"Under the terms of the new policy, issued on Feb. 7, 2011, once a marriage license applicant produces the required photo ID, the City Clerk may not request additional proof of sex," the release says. "Moreover, City Clerk employees are forbidden from considering the applicant’s appearance or preconceived notions related to gender expression when deciding whether to issue a marriage license."
"Transgender people are challenged all the time about their status as men and women," Michael Silverman, the executive director of Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund, said. "Our clients are legally entitled to marry and were denied that right just because they are transgender. We applaud the City Clerk’s office for adopting this policy and for taking steps to ensure that this does not happen again."
"In addition to the adoption of the new policy, the agreement to resolve the couple’s claims calls for the City Clerk to apologize to Jane and John, to institute training for all City Clerk employees on issues relating to gender identity and gender expression, and to ensure that Jane and John are free to marry at a time and place of their choosing," the release added.
Transgender citizens can find it difficult to obtain identification that accurately reflects their gender identity.
"As the federal government requires the use of identification for more purposes, it is becoming increasingly difficult for many transgender people to access accurate documents," text at the website for the National Center for Transgender Equality states.
"Without the consistent identification that many people take for granted, it can be impossible to travel, open a bank account, or apply for a job. The Bush administration implemented ideologically-driven restrictions for changing ID, making it especially difficult to access passports and social security accounts, which are ’gateway’ documents that can impact ability to acquire other forms of ID."
The site calls for the repeal of the REAL ID Act, a 2005 law that tightened restrictions on resident aliens and set out national guidelines for state-level ID documents such as drivers’ licenses and ID cards.
However, in some states it is possible for transgender citizens to obtain updated drivers’ licenses that reflect their gender identity. In California, an incident in which a DMV worker allegedly harassed a transwoman led to a privacy claim against the agency last year.
In New York, a 2009 court decision found that transgendered people choosing new names to fit their gender identity no longer needed documentation from a doctor to make the change legal.
Kilian Melloy reviews media, conducts interviews, and writes commentary for EDGEBoston, where he also serves as Assistant Arts Editor.
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